As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. (Ephesians 5:31, 32 NLT)
In the same way ...
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (Matthew 16:24 ESV)
If anyone does not expect marriage to be the denial of ones self, they are expecting something other reality.
I am reading Oswald Chambers devotional "My Utmost For His Highest".
This particular devotional is about "individuality".
My God is intentional in His instruction.
When He wants to make a point, He is patient in repeating it over and over until by His grace my ears do hear.
" individuality is all elbows, it separates and isolates"
"Individuality counterfeits personality as lust counterfeits love."
"The characteristics of individuality are independence and self assertiveness."
"God wants to bring you into union with Himself, but unless you are willing to give up your right to yourself He cannot. "Let him deny himself" - deny his independent right to himself, then the real life has a chance to grow."
What I am discovering about marriage being a mirror reflection of our union with Christ is so beautifly symbolic of one another. There is so much to learn in this symbiosis.
There is freedom. Beauty. Intimacy. Tenderness. Romance. Plenty of drama - climatic and dissinent emotion.. Adventure. Raw and brutal love.
This is real. All the while, at times harder to grasp than fiction..
Why would I look anywhere else when all in all is finished here.
Completed. Perfected.
It is Him. My inheritance. My prize. My reward...
What else should I want?
What else could satisfy?
He formed me.
He completes me.
Selah
Can I love my husband this way?
It will only show me the face of Christ in more detail. His hands. His heart.
My heart desires this.
He will give me my desires.
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